Why do we trundle out the uncials, along with the corned beef, for St. Patrick’s Day? Perhaps it’s the association of uncials with the Book of Kells.
Uncials, also known as majuscules, are a script form which was developed during the early Byzantine era (fourth century) along with the new media of parchment and vellum. They are used decoratively in modern graphic design, and they are employed excessively as St. Patrick’s Day approaches. They lack a lower case, so they are difficult to read as text.
The etymology of uncial goes something like, “from Latin uncialis, from uncia (inch),” but Alexander & Nicholas Humez, in their brilliant book ABC ET CETERA The Life & Times of the Roman Alphabet, offer other etymologies. Uncial also could have been St. Jerome’s reference to either illuminated letters, or to “hooked” letters, depending upon how uncialibus was misspelled by the Saintly Dalmatian.
Either way, I agree with St. Jerome. Use uncials sparingly. Legibility is more important than ornamentation.
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